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HALP! I've never been in a situation like this before!

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  • Nov 21st, 2015 10:30 pm
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Apr 12, 2004
253 posts
174 upvotes

HALP! I've never been in a situation like this before!

I have pounding the pavement HARD since I was laid off 4 months ago. Now all that hard work is about to come to fruition:
I am expecting 3 job offers this week! They each have their plus/minuses but overall they are equally attractive!
It feels like I am dating three girls at once - something else I have never done!
I don't know how to manage this:
  • How far along can I pursue each opportunity without feeling like I am stringing them along before I dump two of them?
  • When, if at all, do I let them know I have other offers?
  • How much do I share with each company?
  • . . .
I know this is a great problem to have but I am struggling with it regardless.
Any, and all insight is greatly appreciated!

5
21 replies
Member
Aug 27, 2007
453 posts
62 upvotes
Wait until you have the offers in hand...

Once you do, look them over and do some calculations based on overall compensation, benefits, etc... You can let them know you have other offers and where you stand. They might counter, they might not.

Then decide.
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Apr 12, 2004
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crownme wrote: Wait until you have the offers in hand...
Perfect - thanks!!!
This also raises other questions. The 3rd offer may not come until late this week. How do I ask the other two for more time to think about it, without seeming like an ass. This is all so foreign to me!
Deal Expert
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Mar 9, 2007
15620 posts
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Think of the Childre…
Just be lucky you got offers. Take it and work it.

WOULD SOMEBODY THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!
Deal Addict
Dec 21, 2011
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Allenford
5hole wrote: Perfect - thanks!!!
This also raises other questions. The 3rd offer may not come until late this week. How do I ask the other two for more time to think about it, without seeming like an ass. This is all so foreign to me!
Once the other two come in, if they expect a response before the third has arrived then just let the third company know what you have in hand at that point so they can ante up if they want.


Congrats on your hard work paying off and that you went out after these :)
Deal Fanatic
Jul 13, 2009
5244 posts
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5hole wrote: Perfect - thanks!!!
This also raises other questions. The 3rd offer may not come until late this week. How do I ask the other two for more time to think about it, without seeming like an ass. This is all so foreign to me!
Let them know you have other offers in consideration but will need another day to get back to them to make a fair decision, but tell them you are interested in them too.

Don't delay too much otherwise they may lose patience and go with #2.

However you need to start thinking fast and hard! Pick your best one and go with it.
Penalty Box
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Jul 11, 2008
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Away from RFD idiots
how do you know you'll get offers if you haven't gotten it yet?
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Apr 12, 2004
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mathiewannabe wrote: how do you know you'll get offers if you haven't gotten it yet?
One gave me a verbal offer last Friday and said HR will be writing it up and sending it to me be tomorrow at the latest
The other two, I just know. Once you get this far in the process you know, one way or the other - at least I do.
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Apr 12, 2004
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bhrm wrote: Don't delay too much otherwise they may lose patience and go with #2.
This is what I am stressing about the most - the timing of all of this. I have been working these opportunities (and many, many, many others) over the past 4 months, and now suddenly it comes down to 3-4 days to close the best deal I can for myself.
Member
Oct 3, 2009
433 posts
126 upvotes
I would draw them out as long as possible to give you enough time to make a decision. Asking for a few days to consider an offer is not an unreasonable ask as well. Try and get a weekend in the consideration period as it allows you to clear your head a bit and make a decision, that is assuming you are currently working.

What field do you work in? Getting 3 offers is pretty good in this economy.
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Apr 12, 2004
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Intotheblue12 wrote: Try and get a weekend in the consideration period as it allows you to clear your head a bit and make a decision, that is assuming you are currently working.
Trying to push this to Monday would certainly give me some breathing room! I'm not currently working. I've been off for 4 months so a few additional days is not going to hurt.
Intotheblue12 wrote: What field do you work in? Getting 3 offers is pretty good in this economy.
Without giving too much away I'm in the high tech/software space, but I'm not a developer. Ya I know, pretty general but that's all I'm comfortable posting.
Newbie
Aug 23, 2015
64 posts
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Scarborough, ON
One of the major deciding points for me is whether one of them is public sector. I'd much rather work for the government in my field than in a private company. Are any with government?
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Apr 12, 2004
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absolutetruth100 wrote: Are any with government?
No, none are. One of my many other leads was a public sector organization, but that ended with a "Thanks, but we are moving forward with other candidates." Shortly afterwards I learned about the "sunshine list" and probably would have taken a significant pay cut if it would have panned out. My potential VP was making less than I was in my previous role.

Also, if there are any recruiters reading this, please take the time to respond to candidates with a "No, thank you" if you are not interested. That is a lot easier to take than no answer at all. I found that the nearly all the startups and smaller companies I applied to took the time to send a note if they were not interested. Even though they were auto-generated, canned responses, it allowed me to stop wasting my time and theirs with followup emails and calls and move on.
Deal Addict
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Aug 17, 2008
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Goodjob 5holes. Ask #3 to speed up their offer.

I waited up to a week before responding to a offer, and at the end of the week HR was asking for a response. I don't think they will move on without first asking you for an answer, but that's always a risk.
Deal Addict
Sep 9, 2003
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5hole wrote: One gave me a verbal offer last Friday and said HR will be writing it up and sending it to me be tomorrow at the latest
The other two, I just know. Once you get this far in the process you know, one way or the other - at least I do.

You dont' have any offers. It is not an offer until it is in writing and sent to you. Review the offers if you get them and decide from there. Once you get the offer you can tell them about other offers but I think the right job, culture is more , life style is more important.
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Apr 12, 2004
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Demon_Twinz wrote: ...I think the right job, culture is more , life style is more important.
Agreed - 100%.
Once I got to the stage where I felt they were truly interested this is exactly what I focused all my questions on. For two of the opportunities I even asked to speak to one of the other team members and asked about work/life balance, recognition, engagement, culture, etc... So I have 2 of the offer in hand now, and hoping to get the third shortly.

5
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Jan 18, 2010
7725 posts
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Canada
Mind sharing industry/location?

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